Philydrum

Philydrum is a genus of tufted, herbaceous, aquatic macrophyte plants, one of three genera constituting the plant family Philydraceae.[2]

frogsmouths
Philydrum lanuginosum[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Commelinales
Family: Philydraceae
Genus: Philydrum
Banks ex Gaertn.[2]
Species:
P. lanuginosum
Binomial name
Philydrum lanuginosum
Banks ex Gaertn.[3]
Synonyms[4]
  • Garciana Lour.
  • Garciana cochinchinensis Lour.

Philydrum lanuginosum is the sole known species. They are commonly known as frogsmouths and woolly waterlilies.[5][6]

Woolly waterlilies occur naturally across south and east Asia, including India, S. China, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam; across Malesia including New Guinea; across northern and eastern Australia and the Pacific Islands.[5][6] In Australia they grow naturally in wetlands in northern WA, NT, Qld, NSW and Vic.[3][5]

They have spongy, soft, hairy, herbaceous foliage. The foliage grows upright in tufts up to 80 cm (2.6 ft) high, from short–creeping and branching stems rooted in the mud. The stems grow up taller than the leaves, becoming green and woolly spikes up to 2 m (6.6 ft) high. The spikes successively open many, attractive, fine yellow flowers. Long, pointed, green and woolly bracts up to 7 cm (2.8 in) enclose each bud. As the spike grows, each successively mature bud's bract reflexes, opening the flower inside and subtending it, holding its delicate yellow 'petals' on display. Each flower has two, outer, showy yellow 'petals' (perianth segments), hairy on the outside and measuring up to 15 mm × 10 mm (0.6 in × 0.4 in). They look like open yellow mouths hence the common name frogsmouths. Within, the two inner, smaller, yellow 'petals' stand around the reproductive parts, of the single stamen and style.[5][6][7]

Woolly waterlilies have some popularity in Australian wetland landscaping and gardening, but have yet to become very well known.

formerly included in genus[4]

now in Helmholtzia

Flower on a spike. In small dam, Australia; by Shelle, 2 January 2009

References
  1. 1804 illustration by John Sims (1749-1831) - Curtis's botanical magazine vol. 19-20 tab. 783 (http://www.botanicus.org/page/471196)
  2. "Philydrum Banks ex Gaertn.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  3. "Philydrum lanuginosum Banks ex Gaertn.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  4. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  5. Hyland, B. P. M.; Whiffin, T.; Zich, F. A.; et al. (Dec 2010). "Factsheet – Philydrum lanuginosum". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants (6.1, online version RFK 6.1 ed.). Cairns, Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), through its Division of Plant Industry; the Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research; the Australian Tropical Herbarium, James Cook University. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  6. Jacobs, Surrey W. L. (2001). "Philydrum lanuginosum (Banks & Sol.) Gaertn. – New South Wales Flora Online". PlantNET - The Plant Information Network System. 2.0. Sydney, Australia: The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  7. Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (2005). "Ecology of Sydney plant species. Part 10: Monocotyledon families Lemnaceae to Zosteraceae" (PDF). Cunninghamia. 9 (1): 91. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
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